When big dreams come in tiny packages

Tiny homes are a new trend that more home buyers are looking into. The benefits that come along with tiny homes are something that is attracting attention.

Traveling is a hobby of many people, and with a tiny home, you can bring your home along with you. Hitch it to a truck and drive to your next destination with ease. Like a normal house, tiny homes are built in different ways. Some are equipped with eco-friendly benefits, such as rainwater collection and solar panels. They give travelers the option to live off of the grid if desired. Others are built needing power and water hookups, which are available on plots of land or RV/mobile parking.

Another benefit of these convenient homes is that they tend to be cost-effective. Given the time and ability to build your own home, you save money by buying the supplies yourself. Prices for tiny homes can range between less than $19,000, to around $50,000, depending on the size and amenities that you want to be included.

While you can be energy efficient in a normal-sized home as well, tiny homes tend to make that a little easier. Given the size reduction, tiny homes tend to use less power to heat and cool the air. If you plan on hooking your home up to a power source, you will still have to pay an electric bill, but odds are that the bill will be significantly less.

“We both had an interest in alternative housing options and sustainable living,” said Killeen resident Rana Istari, who is interested in building a tiny home with her partner in the near future. “Then we discovered a documentary called “Tiny,” which introduced us to the tiny house movement. Choosing to build a tiny home has many benefits. It gives us the opportunity to own a home with little to no debt, which, in turn, allows us to work less and focus attention on pursuing passions. We also feel a smaller space would be more manageable for us. It will also bring us closer together, literally and figuratively. We are hoping to have the shell built on the property later this year.”

Many homeowners hoard clutter from years of living in one place. Another benefit of a tiny house is that fewer things that accumulate over time. Chances are, you won’t gather as many possessions with a 200-square foot home versus a 2,000 square-foot home. If you decide to move into a bigger house, the less amount of things makes the move easier as well.

“I am interested in tiny/small houses because I like the idea of downsizing and clearing away clutter that I don’t need,” said potential homebuyer Annie Dockery. “I feel that I would have more time to spend with my family and pursue the things that I want to do instead of trying to continually keep up with stuff.”

Living in a tiny home isn’t for everyone, but the benefits of it are becoming more apparent. Having less space, and less stuff to fill it often means more money, more freedom and more time for the things that matter most. That’s the ideology of the tiny home movement and the key to its appeal.